Chiles At Record Popularity

FLORIDA POLITICS

With Some Help From Clinton, The Governor Finds Himself Popular With Floridians.

October 13, 1996|By Mike Griffin of The Sentinel Staff

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Lawton Chiles' popularity is at an all-time high, buoyed, pollsters say, by a big-spending presidential campaign that targeted Florida and has helped all Democrats.

The Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research Inc. poll of Florida voters shows that the percentage of those who rank Chiles's performance as ''excellent'' or ''pretty good'' has risen from 45 percent to 64 percent since June.

This surge coincided with a big spending spree by Democrats to boost the popularity of President Clinton in Florida. The ad blitz, which went largely unanswered by the Republicans for months, is credited with giving Clinton a real chance of winning Florida and pulling in some Democrats along with him.

But before you write off the governor's remarkable surge to being in the right place at the right time, think again.

A better argument is that Chiles has been standing in the right place for six years, and the right time has finally caught up to him.

Since becoming governor in 1991, Chiles has championed the issues of children, health care and education.

Since the 1994 elections - in which Republicans made great gains statewide - Chiles has focused on these issues almost to the exclusion of all else. When his efforts were rebuffed by a reluctant Legislature, Chiles traveled the state, taking his case directly to community leaders.

Pollster Bob Joffee, vice president of Mason-Dixon, likens the situation to a sailing ship at sea.

''Here is Chiles talking these issues to no avail, when this big surge of money from the Clinton campaign raises the public's awareness,'' Joffee said. ''It's like a ship adrift, and suddenly the sails are filled this big gust of wind."

But there's a real chicken-and-egg component to these numbers.

Did Chiles benefit from Clinton pushing these issues? Or did Clinton push these issues because Chiles and others close to America's grass roots demonstrate their appeal to middle class, women voters?

Nationally, Chiles now ranks 13th in popularity among the nation's governors.

Only one other Democrat ranked higher.

What really matters of course is whether Chiles's popularity is transferable to state House candidates.

With Democrats aiming to hold onto their slim majority Chiles has been a tireless campaigner for House candidates - many of whom are pushing the themes the governor has ridden to such lofty heights.

The Republicans, of course, have Jeb Bush campaigning for their candidates, but GOP leaders are fuming at Bob Dole's campaign strategy.

They say Bush is up against two top campaigners - Chiles and Clinton - and is getting little help from Dole.

Slade disappointed

And just who are some of those GOP leaders? How about Tom Slade, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

Not that anyone at Dole's Washington campaign has even asked, but state leaders have been urging Dole and Kemp to be more aggressive in attacking the president's character. These needn't be personal attacks that might turn off women voters, Slade said, but jabs aimed at pointing to the president's ''history of waffling, broken promises and lack of trustworthiness.''

''Jack Kemp needed to knock Al Gore down and stomp on him a little bit,'' Slade said Thursday. ''We didn't get the job done. We're running out of time to take them to task for their failings.''

Slade said the strategy of having Dole show respect to Clinton is a good one, because it shows voters Dole is not ''the mean-spirited man the Democrats portray.''

''People saw the real Bob Dole last Sunday at his debate in Hartford, (Conn.),'' Slade said. ''Now let's get the word out to the people about the real Bill Clinton. You can't do that any other way than head on.''

Slade is not as pessimistic about state House races and still believes Dole will win Florida if his campaign becomes more aggressive.

''Three weeks is an eternity in politics,'' Slade said. ''We still believe we will deliver Florida to Bob Dole.''

Jennings on the road

State Sen. Toni Jennings has her own presidency to worry about.

The Orlando Republican will become Senate president if her party maintains it's majority there, and Jennings has traveled the state to prepare the way.

It's a smart way to let folks out there know that Jennings plans to keep partisanship to a minimum, should she win the post. The meetings, mostly luncheons with community leaders on a variety of topics, also will help her form the legislative agenda she would push as president.

That could ensure success during the next two years and set her up nicely for a run for statewide office in 1998 - should she decide to take the plunge.